


out of time

by banesexual



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, a whole lot of misunderstanding and jace being a petty dick fighting for his man, it pays off thankfully, jealous!jace, oblivious!simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-27 06:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banesexual/pseuds/banesexual
Summary: tumblr prompt jimon + jordan = jealousysimon's band has a new member and jace can't stand watching him get close to his best friend in the way he's always wantedperformer AU written for week 7 of @shadowhuntersaumondays





	out of time

**Author's Note:**

> this was meant to be short but then our boys had feelings.  
>    
> feel free to prompt me on tumblr @softjimon and as always any and all comments mean the world xo

The bar is packed, in a way Simon totally didn’t expect for their first gig back. It’s been months of workshopping new songs and many, many name changes and he’s glad to be on stage again, introducing Midnight Burrito. 

He can see Clary laugh from a table near the front and it keeps his usual nerves at bay. Izzy is there too, with Alec and Magnus and he spots Luke near the bar, balancing six drinks as he braves the crowd.

They’re here, like always, his original groupies. Someone is missing though and his eyes scan the room, searching for Jace.

It’s pointless - he’s not coming and Simon already knows that, but he looks and he hopes anyway.

There’s people everywhere, huddled around tables, at the bar, standing in any and all space available and it’s enough to hide Jace sitting in the back, watching from afar.

He smiles softly as Simon’s voice fills the room, opening with a classic he wrote years ago. Jace has heard it a hundred times over and each note is a step back home.

Simon’s always had this way of making people _feel,_ with raw lyrics and a tone to match any emotion and tonight is no different. Jace can’t look away, eyes following Simon's fingers flying across the frets of his guitar. His eyes are alight as he sings about freedom and its pursuit and maybe Jace is biased but Simon really is The Best.

Not that Maia and Maureen aren’t talented too – or this new guy, grabbing a second mic and joining in with a harmony on the chorus. He sounds nice and smooth but not worth the multiple texts and one particular FaceTime Jace endured where Simon talked a mile a minute about their awesome-new- _super-cool_ back-up singer.

Jace isn’t jealous - he doesn’t _get_ jealous and he has no right to be but watching Jordan stand a little too close knowing Simon’s generous opinions has him on edge.

The feeling doesn’t really go away all night, just a dull thrum in his stomach but he does his best to focus on Simon and how happy he looks after each applause. There’s been too many conversations riddled with doubt and he hopes all the noise makes Simon finally believe – in himself, and his work, even half as much as Jace does.

The set ends with goofy bows and an encore of some Arctic Monkey’s cover. They leave the stage and Jace races out of the room, dodging the crowd to get to the stage door. It’s outside, round the back and he leans against the brick wall as he waits.

It’s only a minute or two before he hears familiar voices and then Simon’s walking through the door, carrying an amp with Jordan in tow.

“- was so amazing! Like seriously, Si you killed it!”

The nickname is new and he’s clapping Simon on the back, his hand lingering there as they walk and Jace’s whole body goes cold.

It gets worse as Jordan keeps talking, gushing over how great Simon sounded and the weight of his lyrics and the crowd rightfully going wild. Simon ducks his head and goes red all the way up to his ears, suddenly shy at all the praise.

It’s what he does when Jace talks his band up in front of others and it’s a look Jace thought was reserved for him. Seeing that it’s not makes him feel spectacularly average, like he means the same to Simon as some guy he’s known two seconds.

It’s enough to make him leave, pretending he never made it to the show in the first place, but Simon loves surprises and Jace feels the same about Simon so he waits.

And sulks, just a bit.

They’re loading Simon’s van when Maia comes out, smiling as soon as she spots a familiar face.

“Jace!” she calls out, waving him over and Simon turns so fast he almost falls.

He fumbles with the mic stand he’s carrying before dropping the thing and running at Jace.

“You came!” he yells, practically barreling Jace over with a hug. He holds on tight, long enough for Jace to smell sandalwood and sweat in the crook of his neck before pulling back and punching him in the arm, hard. “You said you had work, you asshole.”

Jace grins, “Couldn’t miss the first and no doubt last appearance of _Midnight Burrito_.”

Simon laughs, “God, we’re nothing if not predictable, but this one might actually stick! Jordan – the guy I told you about, the new singer? Well he came up with the name last night and we all kinda love it!"

He gestures behind him to where Jordan is still packing up with the girls and Jace forces a smile.

“You should meet him!” Simon says suddenly, tugging on Jace’s arm to bring him over and that is quite possibly The Worst idea he’s ever had but there’s no stopping Simon on a post-show high. He’s literally bouncing as he pulls Jace forward a few feet until they’re standing in front of the van.

The equipment is stacked like tetris and Jordan is fitting another speaker in when Simon calls his name. He turns around, automatically smiling and shaking long, dark curls out of his eyes. Up close, Jace can see they’re hazel and green and suddenly his own heterchromia seems ordinary.

“Is this him?” Jordan asks, pointing to Jace and Simon nods excitedly, “He made it!”

Jace looks between them and crosses his arms, “Of course I did, I’m Simon’s best friend.”

And it sounds defensive and territorial but he needs the words to be out there, for Jordan to know that Simon’s his number one and that status is very much so mutual.

“Right!” Jordan says, still smiling as he dusts his hands off before offering one to Jace, “So good to finally meet you! Simon’s told me so much...”

His eyes dart to the side, widening all of a sudden and he trails off, letting Maureen cut in with excited little jumps.

“Guys, can you even believe the crowd tonight?! My ears are still ringing!”

Maia grins, “I know! They freaking loved us. I’m pretty sure some woman in the front burst into tears at the end –“

“Oh my God, for Jordan’s a capella bit?” Maureen asks and Maia nods, eyes wide with animation.

“Yes! It sounded _so_ good, seriously.”

They’re all nodding now, Simon included and Jace wonders when the entire group accepted this guy as their Lord and Saviour.

“Shut up, it was totally all Simon,” Jordan says, because apparently he’s incapable of holding a conversation without bringing it back to the man himself, “He came up with the arrangement and led me in. We’re a good team, but he was something else tonight!”

Jordan grins, hi-fiving Simon with unnecessary enthusiasm and something inside Jace snaps.

“Actually Simon’s that good _every_ night,” he says knowingly, having never missed a show in all their time together and everyone falls quiet.

It’s awkward, Jace is painfully aware of the fact but Jordan’s pretentiously tattooed arms are back at his sides, nowhere near Simon and that alone is a win. He’s eyeing off Jace like he’s slightly unstable though, which is sort of how he feels – unbalanced, like the whole world is tipping and he can’t find solid ground.

No-one really says anything for a few moments and then Maia nudges Jace’s foot with her own.

“Do you need a ride? We're in Maureen's mini but we have a seat spare.”

Maureen shakes her head sadly, “Babe, we said we’d drive Simon, remember? He has to leave the van here for tech tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, I can take Simon home,” Jordan offers, not missing a beat and Jace’s face hardens.

“No, I can,” he insists, turning to Simon, “I’m taking you home.”

And he can feel himself being petty, embarrassingly so but the thought of Simon and Jordan alone has him spiralling.

“Jace, you don’t have a car,” Simon says, voice tired, “Or a license.”

“I can walk you home,” he says firmly, even though it would take all night but he’s _panicking_ and a nighttime stroll together actually sounds nice. 

“Don’t you live like three suburbs over?” Jordan asks, eyebrows drawn in confusion and Jace groans.

“God, you’re just the Simon expert, aren’t you?”

It comes out like a snarl and everyone’s watching with mouths open but he can’t stop, can’t even breathe because he’s been sitting on his feelings and now it’s too fucking late.

Jace is turning before he knows it, down the alley and away from this mess. He can’t stomach another second of some stranger doing what he’s never been brave enough to try.

There's the sound of boots hitting cement and Jace doesn’t have to guess who’s chasing after him.

“Jace, _what the fuck_?” Simon hisses, three steps behind but catching up fast, “That was rude, even for you!”

Jace rolls his eyes at that and keeps walking, only stopping when Simon grabs him by the shoulders and holds him still.

“ _No_ , you don’t get to act like a complete jerk then ignore me!” He grips Jace’s shoulders and spins him around so they’re facing, “What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m fine,” Jace says through clenched teeth, and then, “Go back to Jordan.”

Which is the complete opposite of what he wants, but the words slips out and he regrets it the second he sees Simon’s eyes narrow.

“Jordan?” Simon repeats, voice rising, “Why are you acting like you've got a freaking vendetta against the guy?!”

And of course Simon’s oblivious and somehow that’s infinitely worse.

“Because he was all over you!” Jace snaps, feeling every bit of jealousy – alright, fuck it, he’s jealous – rise to the surface. “Going on and on about how amazing you are, touching you at every opportunity, acting like he knows you better than anyone - he fucking _jumped_ at the idea of taking you home, I mean _Christ,_ he’s obsessed with you!”

The words echo off the bricks around them and Simon blinks, trying to process the biggest fit he’s seen Jace throw since high school. There was that one incident last month when Simon beat his best time in Mario Kart but that was after years of Wii rivalry.

This is...unexpected and Simon can’t help but laugh, just a little.

“The only person acting obsessed right now is you,” Simon teases, still confused but also amused and Jace visibly deflates.

“Yeah, well maybe I am,” he whispers, running a hand through his hair and sighing.

Simon looks at him then, really looks at him and sees the sad eyes and patented clenched jaw. His hands are in fists and he’s still staring down the alley like he’s sussing out competition.

“Oh my God, you’re jealous,” Simon realises, eyes going wide, “Of Jordan?”

Jace doesn’t say anything but his glare at the floor is as good as confirmation.

“Hey,” Simon says softly, coming closer until they’re only inches apart, “Nobody’s ever gonna replace you, Jace - I swear. No matter how many new friends I make, you’ll always be my best.”

There’s a beat and then Simon pulls a face, “That sounded less cringey in my head.”

Jace huffs out a laugh, weirdly at ease. Simon’s always had this effect, calming him beyond belief and Jace can feel every _what if_ disappearing with one flash of the Lewis grin.

“I’m sorry,” Jace says honestly, shuffling from one foot to the other, “I, uh, shouldn’t care who’s into you. Jordan seems like he’d treat you right and you both have the music thing in common...”

“Jordan's not into me?" Simon says, looking at Jace like he’s crazy, “He’s literally the straightest person I know – which is hardly an achievement considering our immediate group of friends, but _still_ , he’s definitely not interested in the slightest.”

“Oh,” Jace says dumbly, relief flooding him from head to toe, “I just thought - he kept touching you and saying all those things...”

Simon shakes his head, smiling, “I think that’s leftover frat house stuff? Maia banned him from hi-fives for a week because it was getting out of hand, like seriously, Jace, we’d get two sentences in and there’d be another smack of palms, but he’s really nice and I think he’s just excited to be a part of it all. He hasn’t stopped talking about Maia’s badass drumming either, or my mother’s double choc brownies but I don’t think that means he wants to date all three of us...”

Jace snorts, “Good - I mean, for your mom. That woman deserves the world.”

Simon eyes his warily, watching a flicker of jealousy return and it makes him wonder -

“Since when do you care who I date?” Simon asks, eyebrows raised in challenge and Jace rolls his eyes.

“I don’t," Jace grumbles, "I’m looking out for _Elaine_.”

“Nuh-uh, you totally care!” Simon teases, poking Jace in the cheek repeatedly, trying to get a reaction, “God, when we first met in gym class and you called me Star Wars trash after seeing my Yoda boxers I never thought I’d mean enough for you to give a shit about my love life. But here we are - what an honour! I’d like to thank my mom, and also the Academy for believing in me and my sister and of course Jace Wayland himself, my best friend and - “

Jace moves, all at once and then he’s grabbing Simon’s face and shutting him up with a kiss.

It’s maybe not Jace’s best idea considering the way Simon yelps in surprise and he’s about to pull away, apologising profusely when arms slide around his waist, holding him in place. Simon pulls him even closer, lips moving against his with enthusiasm Jace has only imagined.

Because he’s thought about this endlessly, always swallowing his words at the last minute, never knowing if Simon felt what’s been building between them since school.

Seeing that he does is the stuff of dreams.

They stay like that for some time, sweet kisses gaining heat and it’s only when someone catcalls from the general vicinity of the van that they slowly break apart.

“Boyfriend,” Jace finishes, the softest smile spreading across his lips, “Please say Jace Wayland: best friend and boyfriend.”

Simon’s eyes are still wide but there’s this light behind them now and he nods, grinning like a fool.

It’s everything he’s wished for on birthday candles and shooting stars but as he thinks about the catalyst, his smile fades.

“How long?” he asks, scared that tonight was about Jordan and that Jace’s feelings don’t match the intensity of his own. “How long have you wanted to do that?”

“All night,” Jace says honestly, “And I guess every night for as long as I can really remember.”

Simon groans, “Are you serious? Me too, _God,_ I hate us, how are we the absolute worst at this? You’re the one who’s meant to be suave! And you fucking fell apart when Jordan clapped me on the back like twice at most.”

“He stood impractically close too!”

Simon scoffs, “Define impractical.”

And Jace leans forward, closing the tiniest space left between them until their noses bump.

“He was so not this close!” Simon says through a laugh, trying not to go cross-eyed and now, more than ever, Jace feels back on solid ground. “The poor guy, he literally wanted to wingman us too.”

“Jesus.” Jace sighs and Simon can feel the breath against his cheeks, “I definitely owe him an apology.”

“Or a thank you,” Simon says, winking like old times and it’s insane how easy this all seems, like things should’ve been this way the whole time. Or that they already were.

“Thank him? For what? Turning me into the green-eyed monster?“ Jace asks, biting back a grin and Simon shakes his head.

“No, for this,” he says softly, reaching for Jace’s hand, “For us.”

There’s still less than an inch between them and it would take nothing to brush their lips together but Simon doesn’t, not yet.

Instead he’s thinking back to how Jace acted tonight - the crossed arms, harsh words and misplaced glares, all from a friendly pat on the back. It’s wrong, Simon knows that in his bones but he thinks maybe he liked it? Or liked the way Jace made him feel, protected and wanted and not at all like a friend.

Jace is watching him now, head tilted to the side like he’s trying to work out what Simon’s thinking and he blushes, stomach tensing at the direction of his thoughts. 

“Alright morally I can’t, like, support such ridiculous behaviour," Simon starts because Jace keeps staring and it's doing nothing to help his situation, "And I’m not saying do it _again,_ but the jealousy? Kinda hot,” he admits, cheeks flushed red in a whole new way and it’s a sight Jace knows is his alone.


End file.
